Guide for marking ballots.



` L. A. WILKINSON.

GUIDE FOR MARKING BALLOTS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4,1908.-

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L. A. WILKINSON.

GUIDE FOR. MARKING BALLOTS.`

APPLIOATION FILED sBPT.4,19oa.

Patented Feb. 2,1909.

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GUIDE FonfM'AnxING B ALLo'rs.

` Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

Application fired 'september 4, leoafseriaiNo. 451,767.

To all whom it may concern: p Y

Be it known that I, Louis A. WILKIN- SON, of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guides for Marking Ballots; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,vand exact de-V scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.- Y

My invention contemplates im roved means for marking election ballots, tlie pri-` mary object in view being to enable illiterate voters, or those unfamiliar with the names of the candidates or the ropositions to be voted for, to ex ress their ch) read the allot.

A further object is to enable each voter to preserve a record of his ballot as a means of recalling exactly how he voted and for use in the event of fraud by the election officials.

The invention isdesigned for use in connection with the Australian ballot, as the system is known in Whichthe names of all` he candidates appear on each ticket or bal- Broadly stated, myV invention comprehends a perforated sheet which is laid upon the official ballot, the erforations disclosing the squares on the ba lot withinfwhich the voter is to make his mark, the squares being,

as is well understood, beside the names of the candidates or the propositions to be voted for. The perforations in the sheet are located at such points as may benecessary in order to bring them into register with such of the squares on the ballot as will indicate the reviously expressed wish of the voter.

T e invention further contemplates vmeans for holding thel erforated sheet and the ballot together an for the voter making a record of the vote which he may cast.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 f shows a specimen of an official ballot together with a markingdevice embodying myV invention. Fig. 2 shows the device in its folded position, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows the device folded with a punch in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a ballot having the usual arrangement of des# ignation of arties and their respective cane didates, eac of the nameshaving a square I have shown the marking means consisting of a sheet folded to form oice withouthaving toV two sections lbetween which the ballot may be held. The lower section 3v is shown pron vided with a pair of'iiaps 5 secured near its side edges. These constitute,` a guide in Which the ballot 1 may be held. Each flap 5 has rinted thereon a pointer or arrow 5a whic serves as an indicator for properly positioning the ballot between the leaves. The upper section 4 has holes or perforations 6 `formed therein, and when this section is folded down over the ballot-holding section the holes or perforations will be directly over the squares 2 which the voter wishes to mark. Obviously these perforations will be made according to; the wishes of the voter, the illustration showing a split ticket, that is, one by which the voter expresses his preference for the candidates of one party for some of the oflices and those of another party for other oflices.

VAny preferred means may be employed for indicating on section 4 the points at which the perforations are to be made, such section having marginal lines 6a spaced apart to a distance corresponding to the Width of the ballot, o r the dimensions of the entire section may correspond to those of the ballot. By this means the location of the squares 2 to be marked may readily be duplicated on the guiding section. To aid in making the perforations, especially those near the center of theguiding section, I have provided a punch v7, shown in Fig. 4, having its arms curved outwardly as at 8. This formation permits of the guiding section being folded within the arms so that the punch proper, indicated at 9, may be brought over the point at which the perforation is to be made.

I also provide for the voter maintaining a record of his vote. For this purpose I have shown in Fig.' 2 the lower or ballot containing section Sformed with a pocket to contain a sheet of carbon paper 10 having its coated surface down or against the inner face of the Vback of Vthe pocket. By this means the marks made in the s uares 2 of the super- .posed ballot 1 are dup icated on the back of -the pocket. By scoring the sheet at its fold, as at 12, the sections 3 and 4 may readily be separated and a subsequent comparison of the carbon marks witha copy of the ballot will enable the voter to show how his ballot was cast.

It will be apparent that the sections may be'made of paper andfolded so as to enable the voter to conceal the evidence of his preference and that the invention provides simple and inexpensive means for attaining the purpose contemplated.

I claim as my invention.

1. Ballot marking means comprising, in combination with a ballot, a guide designed to be laid over the ballot, said guide having periorations disclosing the part or parts oi' the ballot to be marked according to the previously expressed wish of the voter.

2. Ballot marking and recording means comprising, in combination with a ballot, two sections between which the ballot may be held, one of said sections being designed to be laid over the ballot and having periorations disclosing the part or parts of the -ballot to be marked according to the previously expressed wish oi' the voter, a carbon sheet, and means for retaining the latter in place beneath the ballot.

3. Ballot marking and recording means comprising, in combination with a ballot, two ysections between which the ballot may be held, one of said sections being designed to be laid over the ballot and having perforations disclosing the part or par-ts ol' the ballot to be marked according to the previously expressed wish of the voter, and i'laps on the other section forming guides i'or positioning the ballot.

4. Ballot marking and recording means comprising, in combination with a ballot, a sheet'folded to Vlorm two sections between which the ballot may be held, means on one section 'for securing said ballot, said section having a pocket, and a carbon sheet located within such pocket, the other section being perforated to disclose the part or parts ol' said ballot to be marked according to the previously expressed Wish ol' the voter, said sheet being scored at the junction ol' the two sections.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence oi two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS A. IVILKINSON.

Witnesses F. J. LUND, Ozno N. Ross. 

